


Son of a Galra

by Fiery_Mullet



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Red loves Keith, Trust Issues, Which seriously needs a tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 10:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16638290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiery_Mullet/pseuds/Fiery_Mullet
Summary: AU. Keith, a Blade of Marmora agent planted in one of the scout teams trying to find the Lions, winds up on Sendak’s ship where a chance encounter with the ancient war machine changes his life forever.





	Son of a Galra

“Kolivan, we’ve spotted the fleet.”

 

The pilot, clad in a Galra scout team uniform, spoke.

 

“Good work, Keith. Remember, the fate of the universe lies in your success. We must retrieve this Lion, hide it, and protect it from the Empire,” Koliva’s voice resounded through his suit’s built in communicator.

 

“Got it.” He then turned to his two companions on the ship. “Mom said the Empire engineered a way to find the other Lions using the Red Lion’s energy signature. We should be able to track him using this then.”

 

He passed a scanning device and the taller one of them quietly took it, scanning all the cruisers ahead. After a couple of minutes, he wordlessly showed the monitor to Keith. The screen showed two wavelength patterns almost identical to each other.  

 

The boy smirked. “Awesome. Thanks, Vrek.”

 

Vrek nodded.

 

“Kolivan, we’ve triangulated the Red Lion’s location. We’re going in.”

 

They timed their entry along with the other fighters surrounding their target cruiser and effortlessly landed on the hangar. Once they got off, they blended right in with the other soldiers onboard. The shorter agent spoke.

 

“Keith, it might be faster if we split up.”

 

Vrek, who was standing beside her, nodded.

 

“You’re right, Ilun. Looks like Vrek agrees. Once the mission’s done, we’ll meet at the fighter. No one leaves til we’re all there.”

 

“That’s against protocol. You know the mission is more important than the individual, Keith.”

 

“I know… but I don’t care. We came here together, we’re all going back together.”

 

Ilun sighed. “When did you ever let anyone say no to you. Fine, I stand by the Team Leader’s orders.”

 

 “Let’s do this.”

 

When they reached a fork, Keith took the left path while Ilun and Vrek went right. But because Ilun and Vrek had the scanning equipment, he was going in blind. _‘I guess my best lead is the security room.’_

Having infiltrated Galra cruisers in his past missions, Keith knew Galra cruisers like the back of his hand. He found the room in no time and looked at the monitors. However, none of the screens showed him what he was looking for.

 

 _‘Something’s not right. The energy signature was identical. I’m sure it’s here. They probably deactivated the security cameras wherever they’re holding the Red Lion in case someone infiltrated the ship…’_ Keith’s eyes drooped. _‘Right. Like we did.’_

 

Given the size of Galra cruisers, it would take him days to go into every single room just to find the Lion. He had no problems with doing so if he must, but they were pressed for time. They had to get the Red Lion out of there before they manage to locate another Lion.

 

According to the information they gathered, there were sightings of another Lion in the blue planet in a faraway galaxy. Sendak, one of the Emperor’s most trusted generals as he was the one in possession of the Red Lion, was tasked by Zarkon himself to lead the search for all the other Lions. Especially the one the tyrant wanted most- the Black Lion.

 

The Blade of Marmora placed as many agents in the scout teams to prevent the Empire from locating anymore Lions. Keith was in one of those scout teams. Their mission at the moment was to retrieve the Red Lion before another Lion’s location was confirmed and Sendak received the order to track it down.

 

Keith hoped with every fibre of his being that the Lion in question wasn’t the same one his mother had found before. Because if it was, then his entire civilization… his own family… would be in grave danger. His eyes then widened with a sudden realization.

 

_‘That’s it. Mom said she used to bring me to the Blue Lion. If that’s the case…’_

 

He thought back on his mother’s lessons about how where there is life, there is quintessence. Quintessence  was unique to every living creature. As someone who had met the Blue Lion before, even as a baby, Keith hoped that he would be able to call out to that same energy.

 

Taking a deep breath, Keith closed his eyes. He tuned out everything else around him and concentrated on the one he was trying to find. Something familiar. Something he had felt before.

 

 It didn’t take long before he found what he was looking for.

 

“Gotcha.” 

 

He raced through the corridors, occasionally slowing down only when Galra sentries were patrolling his way, until he got closer and closer to the source of energy. When he was right in front of the door, he pressed keys on a panel, entering the code provided by their contact on Sendak’s ship. The door opened, he walked in and the moment he saw the majestic ship, his eyes widened. He was speechless, mouth gaping open in pure awe.

 

_‘I’ve only heard about this from Mom’s stories but… This is beyond words. Okay, now to get this out of here.’_

 

A barrier was surrounding the ancient warship in the form of a gigantic lion. Keith tapped on the barrier, punched it, and even tried to break it with his blaster, but nothing worked. He pouted.

 

“I guess we’ll have to take your giant ball along too. Ilun, Vrek, I’ve found it. There’s a barrier surrounding the Lion so I won’t be able to fly it out of here. We’ll have to go with Plan B. I need you guys to grab fighters, blast exactly where I am to create an opening, and tether the Red Lion’s shield to the fighters. That’s the only way we can take it out of here.”

 

“Got it. We’re on our way.” Ilun’s voice came through his communicator.

 

However, as soon as Ilun said so the door opened and a Galra lieutenant came in. He pointed his gun at Keith. “Hey! Scouts don’t have access to this place. How did you get in here?”

 

Keith quickly pulled out his gun and shot the soldier’s weapon, causing it to explode. Patrolling sentries must have heard the ruckus and came charging in. He pulled out his other gun and fired at his incoming attackers, wielding both blasters with amazing accuracy. From the corner of his eye, he saw the soldier about to run for the door, no doubt to report what was happening. He shot the panel so no one else could get in.

 

“Keith, we’re here. We’re locked on to your location so get out of there!”

 

“Ilun! Perfect timing, do it now!”

 

“What?!” But you’ll-“

 

“Just fire!!!”

 

The explosion shoved Keith to the wall, hitting his head. But he was pleased to see that just as he calculated, the combined firepower of the fighters made a whole in the wall big enough for the Lion to fit through. However, it also created an opening that sucked out everything inside, including the sentries, the Galra soldier, as well as Keith himself.

 

He used his thrusters to propel him towards his comrade’s fighters, but the impact caused his head to throb. Just as Ilun and Vrek fired wires to tow the Lion, its shield suddenly dispersed. Keith’s vision went in and out of focus. He could vaguely make our a huge red blob swiftly heading his way, before it swallowed him whole and everything turned black.

 

-x-

 

“Princess, the boy is injured. We should put him in a healing pod.”

 

“Coran, I will not lift a finger to help a Galra.”

 

“But he’s human, just like us.”

 

“Shiro’s right. And what if he was captured, just like him and da- and the Holts?!”

 

“Then why does his uniform have the Galra Empire’s insignia? If he was captured, as you say, then he might have been brainwashed and turned into one of their pawns.”

 

“But Princess, he flew the Red Lion. The Lions will not allow anyone to pilot it other than…”

 

“Its chosen Paladin.”

 

 _‘Its chosen what…?’_ Keith groaned.

 

He opened his eyes, head still pounding. Lying on a sofa, he blinked a few times to clear his vision, and when it did, he saw six people gathered around, all eyes on him. He was in some kind of lounge.

 

 _‘Where am I? Who are these people?’_ He wondered, feeling woozy.

 

The only woman among them glared at him, speaking in a spiteful tone. “You must have stolen this Lion, but whatever you were planning to do has backfired. The Lions are programmed to fly back to this Castle, where it rightfully belongs.”

 

He sat up, making the throbbing pain in his head intensify.  “I didn’t steal the lion.” He hissed from the pain. _‘I stole it from the one who stole it… So that doesn’t count, right?’_ He added as an afterthought.

 

“Lies.” The woman retorted. “What were you doing inside it then?”

 

“I don’t know.” Keith felt something trickle down the side of his face. He wiped it off and saw blood on his fingers. _‘I guess that’s why I have a headache.’_

 

“Whatever the circumstances behind it, you were chosen by the Lion.” The man with a funny orange mustache spoke. “You are now the Red Paladin.”

 

“A what?” Keith frowned. He absently mused if his headache was affecting his ability to understand now too.

 

“The Red Lion’s pilot. Just like the rest of us.” Keith’s gaze shifted to the other guy who had dark hair and a misplaced white streak in the middle. But that wasn’t what called his attention. It was his ears. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

 

_‘His ears aren’t pointy!’_

 

He looked at the other guys beside him. The big guy with an orange bandana, the lanky guy beside him, and the kid with glasses. All of them had round ears and human features. The first he had ever seen in space.

 

“I really am just like you…”

 

“You’re not quite as cool and good looking as I am, but other than that yeah! Guess you’re the last pilot we need to form Voltron,” Said the lanky one.

 

“That’s not what I mean. I never expected to see other humans out here.”

 

“Uh… same to you, man. We never expected to find another human out here.” Said the guy with a bandana, eyeing Keith warily.

 

The shortest of them was about to speak, but was cut off by Coran. “Anyway, now that we’ve confirmed that he’s human, perhaps we can let him in a healing pod, Princess? His head injuries need to be treated.”

 

The woman looked skeptical. “He’s still wearing a Galra uniform though, which means he’s loyal to Zarkon.”

 

“Not all all of us are loyal to Zarkon.” Keith muttered under his breath.

 

“What was that, young Paladin?” Coran approached him, inspecting his wound.

 

“Nothing. And yes, I am part Galra.”

 

“I knew it.” She glared at him again. “He’s not going anywhere near our healing pods.”

 

“I don’t need it.” Keith got up, swaying a little from his throbbing head. “I’ve delivered the Lion back to where it should be. My job’s done. I’m going.”

 

“Dude. Didn’t you get what we just said?” The lanky one said. “You’re part of the team now.”

 

“Lance is correct.” Coran nodded. “The Lion chooses the Paladin. And the bond between a Lion and his Paladin is irrevocable.”

 

“Then I’ll fly the Lion when you need me. I need to go.”

 

“But-“

 

“Let him leave, Coran. Vile creatures are not welcome in my Castle” She said before walking away.   

 

Coran sighed, watching her retreating form as he exited the room, then shifted his gaze to Keith. “Sorry about that. Princess Allura has been through a lot. At least let us tend to your wounds.”

 

“I have a first aid kit.”

 

The shortest one left the room briefly then came back with a white box, handing it to Coran. Coran then proceeded to treat his wound. As soon as he was done wrapping gauze around his head, Coran taped it in place. “There we go. You still need to get checked by a doctor, never take chances head injuries. Will you be able to fly a pod like this?”

 

“Yes I can. Thank you, Coran.” Keith smiled ruefully. “I’ll get going then.”

 

“Wait, take this.” Coran passed Keith a small chip. “It’s an Altean communicator that you can attach to your suit. We will contact you when we need the Red Lion. I’ll… try to talk to the Princess as well.”

 

“Got it.”

 

Keith headed for the hangar. Before getting on the escape pod, the shortest one called him. “Wait!”

 

“What is it?” Keith asked, getting back down.

 

“I know you said you’ve never seen humans before but… Do you think there are other humans still out there? Are you sure you’ve never seen any? What about a boy who looks like me? Or a super smart man, his name’s Sam Holt and…” Seeing the naive look on Keith’s face, his head tilted to one side, she trailed off. “You haven’t seen them either, huh. Forget I said anything.  Sorry.”

 

“If I see anyone, I’ll let you know.” Her head jerked up at those words.

 

Smiling, she said “Thanks, um…?”

 

“Keith.” Keith grinned back.

 

“Thanks, Keith. You’re not so bad.” She walked towards hangar’s exit, but stopped just before the door. “See you again soon!” She gave a little wave and went back in.

 

Keith got on the pod and flew out of the Castle.

 

-x-

 

Head throbbing worse than before, Keith wondered how he managed the trip back to their headquarters. His body seemed to have been on autopilot as he made his way through a sun and two black holes, and successfully landed on the asteroid concealed within all those celestial bodies. He got off the pod, completely drained to the point that he could no longer stand straight and walk without swaying from side to side. He heard running footsteps, prompting him to look up. It was Ilun and Vrek, now donned in their Blade uniform, followed by other Blade agents.

 

“Keith, we heard about what happened.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“How did you even fly the Red Lion?!“

 

Seeing the familiar faces and hearing the beloved voices, Keith felt a burst of energy rush in. His body moved on his own and he dashed, closing the short distance between them and jumped right into the arms of the only Blade whose uniform was different from the rest. The much smaller boy wrapped his arms and legs around him like a koala. Murmurs of _‘Not fair, Kolivan’_ broke the silence of the hangar.

 

 “Keith, we’ve discussed this already. You’re not a little child anymore.”

 

Keith shook his head, his hair brushing against Kolivan’s neck, and only tightened his hold.

 

Kolivan sighed. He awkwardly patted his back. “You’re injured. Let’s get you treated first and foremost.”

 

Back in the midst of the only family he had known all his life, the rush of energy left him as soon as it came. His hold on Kolivan loosened, and the last thing he heard was Kolivan yelling.

 

“Antok! Call for the doctors, now!”

 

And he passed out.

 

-x-

 

To be continued…

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: So yeah. Basically, this started with a random thought in one of my older salt(-ish) posts, “The way the Paladins treat Keith is no different from how they would’ve treated him if he grew up with the Blades/as a Galra”. And this fic was born. Let it be known that good things come out of salting xD


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